Bow Echo retained his unbeaten record when taking the step up into Group Two company in his stride to win the Tattersalls Online Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket.
George Boughey’s charge was sent off the 85/40 favourite and travelled best through the race under Billy Loughnane.
He was given the office going into the Dip and picked up well, running on strongly to the line to beat Humidity (10/1), who was always to the fore, by a length.
Action (5/1) ran well in third having shown signs of greenness throughout the race.
Paddy Power and Sky Bet left Bow Echo unchanged at 12/1 for the Betfred 2000 Guineas and cut him to 33s from 40s for the Derby at Epsom.
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Boughey said: “It was a good performance and I’m delighted. He showed a great attitude for an inexperienced horse to go in a proper Group Two. He has got so much pace. He is a fast horse and he could have started over six furlongs. He got a lovely ride as he allowed him to just relax early.
“I was keen for him to do it the right way around as he could have been forward and try to make a test of it, but he has got a turn of foot and it was nice to see that today. He has only done a few bits of work as he is a very raw animal, but he is certainly a very good one.
“I was actually pretty relaxed as he has just made my job so easy. Jordan McMurray, who rides him, does a great job. He has been a very easy horse to train. He has been a very sound horse of mind. He is much the best colt that has gone through my hands. We have had some nice fillies, but he is head and shoulders above the rest of them (colts).
“He is a miler at the moment for sure. His pedigree goes back to some ten furlong horses, but we are pretty comfortable at the mile for the moment. It was a nice trial for May. He is a horse that I don’t think needs a trial (before the 2000 Guineas). He is a Group Two winner at two and hopefully he will come straight back here next year.”
Andrew Balding said of Humidity: “He has just had the one blip at Goodwood really, but he has run some really good races this year. He is obviously a high class horse and I would like to think the best is yet to come as physically he will keep on improving.
“He 100% was ready for the step up to the mile and he got it well. He is a smart horse and he has got a bright future. We were half minded to go to the Breeders’ Cup, which is a possibility, but I will let the guys have a chat and see what they think.”
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